My friends planned to go to YUEN for the all you can eat steamboat but we ended up in Yuen too but it's not the YUEN that served the steamboat... This is Sek Yuen Restaurant. This is because i could not make it to Sunway as i need to send and pick up my parent to/from a wedding dinner @ downtown on March 13th 2010.

Sek Yuen Restaurant is a very old restaurant which still surviving in the old part of Kuala Lumpur... It located in Jalan Pudu and it has been there for decades... One of my friend has so many old and sweet memories... :p

Anyway, there were four of us and we ordered 4 dishes... one of the dish was their popular dish i.e. Roasted duck. While waiting for our dishes to be served, they served us the nice and crispy peanuts

Peanuts

Fried Spring Rolls

Mutton broiling

Stir fry Vegetables

Roasted Duck

The food is yumilicious and i would like to have another round of dinner over there as i love their duck...

the correct term to descirbe them now is ORANG ASAL, not orang asli. 'orang asal' as in 'original people', see. they are the real bumiputera.

in my post 3 days ago, 'who are the real bumiputera', i had posted a comment from malaysiakini where someone mentioned about the systematic islamisation of the orang asal. then 2 days ago i found in malaysiakini again, an interesting letter about the orang asal. he/she mentioned about 'the systematic act of genocide' of the orang asal. it was his/her own personal experience! you can read about it there but it's so good that i need to share it here, so i'm going to copy it and post it here.

In view of the recent events concerning the Orang Asli, I am compelled to write this letter to testify personally to the difficult situations encountered by the Orang Asli in Peninsular Malaysia.

My friends and I belong to a group of volunteers who have been visiting the interior of Pahang to provide basic healthcare and medical assistance to the Orang Asli over the last six years wherever we can. What we have seen and heard was heartbreaking.

Technically, health clinics have been set up across the country, including the state of Pahang, to provide healthcare services and basic medical assistance to the Orang Asli. In truth, however, most of these clinics have long been abandoned or are unmanned. The reason being, medical officers who have been assigned to these clinics never turn up for work at these clinics. At the same time, these same medical officers continue to claim payments and salaries for services which they have not rendered at these health clinics.

I remember an incident where a pregnant Orang Asli woman had to walk to a trunk road from her village at the edge of a forest to seek medical help. She was going into labour and there was no one in her village who was able to help her.

The 'tok batin' (title of the head of an Orang Asli village) told us, later on, that the health clinic at their village had been abandoned for a number of years because the medical officers assigned to the clinic had refused to turn up for work. As a result, this pregnant Orang Asli woman died on her way to the trunk road. This incident took place a few days before our arrival.

In our dialogues at a number of Orang Asli villages over the years, we were told that medical officers routinely refused to treat or work with the Orang Asli because they are of the opinion that the Orang Asli are a 'dirty' and 'filthy' people and therefore are not worthy of any help or assistance.

On another incident, we took an Orang Asli to a government hospital in a town in Pahang for treatment for problems related to hypertension and nearly had his medications thrown at his face. This doctor was unaware that my friend, who is a medical specialist from a hospital in KL, and I were waiting outside the consultation room. When we were told of the rude incident, my friend and I decided to confront this doctor for an explanation. Only then was the Orang Asli man given proper information about his prescription.

During a recent monsoon season where flood waters had nearly devastated an Orang Asli village, no one turned up to provide any form of relief or assistance to the villagers. Eventually, a small consignment of rice was sent to the village by the state government.

The rice was left at the home of the 'tok batin' who refused to distribute the rice to the rest of the villagers. The 'tok batin' claimed to be an Umno member, therefore, he was untouchable and could do as he pleased. Some villagers told us later on that the rice was never distributed and were sold to a third party.

Our team managed to transport about two dozen bags of rice to be distributed to the villagers. One of the villagers, a widow already weakened by hunger, succumbed to a fatal asthmatic attack while taking a bag of rice back to her hut. At her funeral that evening, our team was overwhelmed by a deep sense of desperation. Till today, a number of us in the team are still haunted by this tragic event.

Tragic incidences like these are just the tip of an iceberg. Land belonging to the Orang Asli, especially those in the lowland, are often leased out to oil palm plantation companies. In return, each Orang Asli household gets a small 'rental income' of up to RM500 per month on an average. Here again, this is at the discretion of the 'tok batin'. This 'income' is sometimes withheld from households that are widowed or orphaned. Largely illiterate, these widows and orphans have no legal recourse to claim their entitlement and are left to fend for themselves.

Furthermore, oil palm plantations sometimes destroy the Orang Asli home ground by allowing excessive fertilisers and pesticides to pollute the environment and to destroy nearby rivers. These are the same oil palm plantations which made promises of employment to the Orang Asli before the first planting but which usually reneged on their promises.

Indonesian workers are favoured over the Orang Asli. The main reason stated by oil palm plantation owners is that Indonesian workers are more reliable as the Orang Asli have a problem with alcoholism and do not turn up for work when required. Interestingly, some Orang Asli have found it easier to get jobs in Singapore than back home in Malaysia.

Alcoholism and drug addiction among the Orang Asli are serious social problems among the younger Orang Asli. Aids/HIV is next. Marginalised by much of society and government policies, many young Orang Asli turn to drugs and alcohol to vent their anger and frustration. Most of the Orang Asli drop out of school by the time they reached Form 2.

While some hostels are provided at some secondary schools for the Orang Asli, the Orang Asli students are often told that they must convert to Islam if they want to pursue further education at the schools. Caught between a rock and a hard place, some Orang Asli students comply while others just slip through the cracks. The Orang Asli are basically animistic in their religious beliefs. Any other religion is a hard sell with the Orang Asli.

Concerning the Orang Asli Affairs Department, the JHEOA, itis becoming more like an extended Islamic affairs department than an Orang Asli affairs department. The unwritten policy of the JHEOA seems to be to proselyte and convert the Orang Asli to Islam. For example, if an Orang Asli village needs to build a community hall but is lacking the resources to do so, they can approach the JHEOA.

However, the Orang Asli must provide an undertaking that the community hall must double-up as a 'surau' before any approval is given. I have been told personally by two 'tok batins' that they will be paid RM100 to RM200 as a reward for every Orang Asli converted to Islam in their respective villages.

I have seen more 4WDs in the Klang Valley with the JHEOA logo painted on their doors in the than in the state of Pahang over the last isx years. Can someone in the JHEOA enlighten me on this? To me, the JHEOA had long outlived its purpose.

Finally, the problems facing the Orang Asli must be dealt with quickly and in a humane manner. Sweeping the dirt under the carpet is not going to make it all go away. The denial mentality among our politicians must be arrested. The Orang Asli are facing the real risk of extinction as a people. To deny otherwise is nothing more than a systematic act of genocide.

While I do have over 20 PLHIV women under my care, the most amongst my fellow volunteers, not all of them are really active clients. Most of the other volunteers have only about 3 or 4 active clients each, while those who have more, are mostly keeping in touch with their clients via telephone calls only.

In my case, I can't be visiting all 20 over clients every month. Where got time??

Some I visit every month, or at least every other month; some I just meet from time to time when they come to Ipoh for their appointments, some I visit just for Raya while some I'd just keep in touch by telephone. No, not that I practice favoritism, but having over 20 families in my list, I'd have to prioritise. I usually pay more attention to the problematic ones, at least until they become somewhat independent. Once I see that they can be independent enough, I'd slowly back out from their lives, not totally, but slowly. Maybe from monthly visits I'd reduce to every other month, then maybe quarterly and so on. I can't be helping them all my life.

I do however, have clients who don't want me to visit them at home, for fear that their neighbors may want to know who came to visit, and why we visit. One of them is Nuri. She's so fearful that her kampong folks may find out that she is HIV positive. Coincidentally, I do have another client, Ani, who stays in the same kampong as Nuri, and yes, they do know each other. From Ani, I found out that their kampong folks had long suspected Nuri to be HIV positive because they had suspected Nuri's late husband, who had been an injecting drug user, to be HIV positive as well.

Oh well, looks like despite the precautions Nuri took, her kampong folks had already assumed that she has HIV.

Nuri was one of those who had initially refused Buddies' services. To her, having a buddy meant having someone to remind her of her HIV. But the time came when she needed our help to apply for welfare aid, so she called my colleague whom she met during one of our HIV clinic duties. My colleague then passed her case to me, thinking that having a fellow Malay lady as a buddy, Nuri wouldn't mind me visiting her at home.

Nope, Nuri still didn't want me to visit her at home. The last time I went to visit her, we promised to meet up somewhere in town, and when I asked her to recommend a place where we could sit down and maybe have something to eat while talking things over, she insisted to go to a place a bit further from her kampong, for fear that she may meet someone she knew.

We did help her get some financial aid, and with the financial aid that she got, Nuri opened up a food stall near a school. Sometimes business is good, sometimes it's not. But that's her source of income and with that income she brings up her children. Despite inviting her to join us for our Family Day every year, Nuri had always refused. To her, joining the Family Day activity would mean other people would know she has HIV.

While I feel that her children may want to attend our Family Day activities (otherwise the children hardly gets a chance to visit other places), I still have to respect Nuri's wishes. I can't force her to join us. I still contact her from time to time just to find our how she's doing, but most of the time, she'd just say she's okay.

After some time, my calls couldn't get through, and my text messages went unanswered. Once in a while, I'd bump into her at the HIV clinic during my voluntary duty. When asked if she had changed her phone number, she'd say she's still using the same number. It was as though she didn't want to give us her number.

Actually I'm a bit concerned about her because she has an HIV+ child, Farah, 9. The girl was diagnosed rather late, because the parents didn't know of their own infection earlier, and unlike now, pregnant women back then were not tested for HIV. During her first year in school, she was always sick and tests later revealed that she was HIV positive. With the many days of school Farah had to miss due to her illness, Nuri just told the teachers at school that Farah had some lung infections, which was also true.

The poor girl has since started taking Anti Retroviral drugs, and she has to take them all her life.

So why am I bringing up Nuri's and Farah's story now? Well, after a long silence, Nuri finally contacted me 2 days ago, from a new number. When I asked if she had changed her number, she said, "Eh tak, ni nombor lama!" But of course, she had been using that number for some time, but because she never gave me the number, it's new to me!

Nuri called to ask if I could help her sister get a place at a government nursing college (she had already applied online, she was hoping I could pull some cables or strings). Ah, she needed a favour, so she called me! Too bad, I don't have any cables (not even a rafia string!) at the necessary department or agency, so I couldn't help her out.

But I took the opportunity to ask her how little Farah was doing, and was told that Farah had to be hospitalised again quite recently, again due to lung infection.

The poor girl! I've met her twice before and she looked somewhat fragile. Just like her mother.

The last time I bumped into Nuri at the HIV clinic (which was quite some time ago), I commented that she looked skinnier than before. And her immediate reaction was, "Akak nampak dah berisi!"

I wonder how Nuri and Farah looks like now. I know I have added some weight since I last met them, so I can just imagine a repeat of the very same sentence Nuri said to me the last time…

Contrary to popular belief among the people at my office, most of my blog readers DO NOT know which company I am working with and they don't even know which part of Klang Valley that my office is located. But today I am gonna tell you the secret. I work in Putrajaya.

It is the city of Government administrative; slow lady drivers and beautiful-beautiful scenery. My office is soon moving out of this city and I am very much melancholic, I will miss this gorgeous place not the drivers entirely.

Last Thursday as was walking to my office jamban, I looked out the window and saw this. Yes, my office has the most gorgeous view, even from the walkway to the loo you would wanna stop and admire the panorama.

The Putrajaya International Hot Air Ballon Fiesta had started. Weee~~

So terpaksalah tahan kencing sekejap and snap snap some photos to show Miki later. I knew my son would get ecstatic!

From afar these pretty balloons seemed like the latest fancy ornaments to the peaceful green landscape.

On Friday Azman picked me up from work at around 6. He brought Miki along so we went straight to the Fiesta. Miki was so excited looking at the huge balloons I think he enjoyed himself more than when we were watching Disney on Ice. Above picture is ourselves with the Balloon from the movie UP. Check out Miki's angry face. He was crossed with his Dad for asking him to take his eyes off the balloon FOR TWO SECONDS ONLY and get a picture taken!!

Head of Darth Vader balloon

Head of Budak balloon… eehhh???

Because Miki was unable to stop talking about the balloons on Friday night and the following morning. we just had to come again. When we wanted to get some teh tarik at the Mamak's (his favourite place sebab ada jual Sugus) Miki even voiced out his frustration when we pulled over at the parking lot. "Apa mamak-mamak ni?!! Miki nak tengok belon!!"

Above picture is me looking like a cekodok basi and Miki still protesting about having to turn around from the colorful balloon from UP and balloon shaped like a Levi's straight cut jeans. Although I don't wear straight cut ( I will wear skinny jeans for as long as my thunder thighs would allow), I feel this jeans balloon. It has a butt flatter than mine. tsk tsk tsk…

Miki and Daddy with "Belon yang ada mata…" kata Miki. There was another balloon that seemed to be wearing sunglasses but we didn't manage to take its picture. On Friday, the pilot was having a hard time getting it into the air due to the wind; Miki was impatient and he said "Apa belon ni… pakai spek-pakai spek je… tak bangun-bangun!"

I got the feeling that Miki is gonna be quite a critic when he grows up.

This is how the launch the hot air balloon into the sky. Looks hot to me.

Smiley black balloon. Miki just couldn't look at the camera! It was either that balloon or this balloon or the Spongebob balloon that cost RM5 each.

Pretty and colorful!

I don't know what Miki was doing maybe he was dreaming of flying high in one of the balloons.

Just like any other parents, it gives us the biggest pleasure seeing our child happy. Mummy and Daddy would fly you to the moon and back if we could Miki, but you have to always be good person to God and to everyone around you Ok? And no kicking MinMin on tummy too! I love you!

KUALA LIPIS, March 20 (Bernama) -- Barisan Nasional (BN) component parties should not view the Malaysia Makkal Sakti Party's (MMSP)support for the coalition as a threat to their own well being, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.

He said what was important was for solidarity to prevail in the coalition irrespective of whether the support came came from individuals or organisations.

"If we are to look at it solely from the technical aspects, it is we who will lose because in the end, it is up to the people as to how they want to support the BN, whether through the MIC, People's Progressive Party, Gerakan or Makkal Sakti.

"What is important is the objectives, success and victory of the BN," he told a gathering of MMSP members here Saturday.

Najib said the support of the Indian community for the BN had strengthened further following its disillusionment with the failure of the Opposition to fulfill pledges it made to them after the last general election.

Proof of this was seen in the Bagan Pinang by-election last year where the largely Indian community in the state constituency backed the BN, he said.

As such, Najib said he hoped the Indian community appreciated what the government was doing for them like the provision of RM130 million in its two economic stimulus packages to build and upgrade Tamil schools throughout the country.

He said this and other allocations given by the government to the community showed the government's fairness in treating all communities equally.

Besides these, he said, the 1Malaysia concept introduced by him had also attracted supporters and members of MMSP to back the BN because it championed the interests of each and every Malaysian.

"Malaysia Makkal Sakti Party knows the government is sincere in treating everyone fairly and that I am Prime Minister for all races and ethnic groups.

"No race or ethnic group will be marginalised or sidelined in the process of development of the country," he added.

We went to Marche, a Swiss market restaurant for the first time today and had lunch there.

Before entering the restaurant (or market!), we had to 'register' to get the MARCHE GUEST CARD per person. The MARCHE GUEST CARD is for guest to make purchases at the market counter.

We ordered 'Catch of the day', 'Grilled Chicken Breast' and 'Lamb Sausage' and passed the MARCHE GUEST CARDs to the cook. He wrote down our orders on the back of the cards, returned them to us and told us to wait for 10 minutes. While waiting, we ordered 'Mushroom Soup' and 'Teh Tarik' and sat down to eat.

Ten minutes passed and we went to the counter to get our main meal. The 'Catch of the day' with cordi fish was nice though its portion was slightly small for my big appetite. The 'Grilled Chicken Breast' and 'Lamb Sausage' were a bit too much for my wife.

Too bad that I didn't get to take any photos save for the MARCHE GUEST CARD. After reading the message on the card, I realised the MARCHE GUEST CARD is no ordinary card. In fact, it is a Very Important Card for as long as you are IN the restaurant. Guard it with your life. Why? If you lose it, you will have to pay RM200!!

I am writing because of a grievous incident that took place on Monday, March 15 at about 3pm at Kepong Central KTM Station. My friends and I (six of us) were there to take the train to the Bank Negara station. After parking our cars, we heard a dog howling, more like a painful cry. Then, we noticed a dog being tied to the grill (steel fence) of the KTM station. As we approached the dog, we

Remember Obama yapping that "throughout history, Islam has demonstrated through words and deeds the possibilities of religious tolerance and racial equality"? Yep, that must be it.

RAWALPINDI, PAKISTAN (BosNewsLife)-- A Christian man was fighting for his life in Pakistan's Punjab province Saturday, March 20, after Muslim leaders backed by police burned him alive for refusing to convert to Islam, while his wife was raped by police officers, Christian and hospital sources familiar with the case told BosNewsLife.

Arshed Masih was burned Friday, March 19, in front of a police station in the city of Rawalpindi near Pakistan's capital Islamabad, following apparent death threats from his employer Sheikh Mohammad Sultan, an influential businessman, and religious leaders, said the Rawalpindi Holy Family Hospital.

His wife, whose name was not immediately released, was allegedly raped by police officers. Their three children -- ranging in age from 7 to 12-- were reportedly forced to witness the attacks against their parents.

"Both [Masih] and wife were rushed to the Holy Family Hospital and are under treatment," the hospital said.

He was listed in serious condition with about 80 percent of his body burnt.